On the afternoon of December 22, 1984, shots rang out beneath the streets of New York, from <a href="https://www.mta.info/maps/subway-line-maps/2-line">the subway's 2 Seventh Avenue express train</a>.A Greenwich Village man named Bernhard Goetz shot four black teenagers who he believed were about to assault him. The incident made international news, amplified by the city’s shameless tabloid newspapers because it so perfectly embodied all the cultural stereotypes about New York City in the 1980s.Goetz became a sort of folk hero, the so-called Subway Vigilante, who took things into his own hands because the city’s weakened and inept services could not.The facts of this case only came to light in the courtroom, playing out over the years. And, if you’re old enough to remember this incident, chances are that you may not be remembering it accurately.To untangle the truth from the hype, Greg is joined in the studio by <a href="https://politics.georgetown.edu/profile/elliot-williams/">Elliot Williams</a>, the author of the gripping new book <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/768052/five-bullets-by-elliot-williams/">Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York’s Explosive ‘80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial that Divided the Nation.</a>This episode was produced and edited by Kieran GannonOther Bowery Boys episodes you may enjoy: <a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2025/04/ford-to-city-drop-dead-the-story-behind-the-headline.html">Ford To City: Drop Dead</a>, t<a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2010/09/wild-era-of-subway-graffiti-1970-1989.html">he Subway Graffiti Era 1970-1989</a> and <a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2019/02/taxi-driver-looking-at-1970s-new-york-city-in-martin-scorseses-gritty-thriller-classic.html">Taxi Driver (Bowery Boys Movie Club)</a><a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2026/02/nyc-1984-remembering-the-case-of-the-subway-vigilante.html">Visit our website for more information</a> and for other shows in the Bowery Boys catalog. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;On the afternoon of December 22, 1984, shots rang out beneath the streets of New York, from &lt;a href="https://www.mta.info/maps/subway-line-maps/2-line"&gt;the subway's 2 Seventh Avenue express train&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Greenwich Village man named &lt;strong&gt;Bernhard Goetz&lt;/strong&gt; shot four black teenagers who he believed were about to assault him. The incident made international news, amplified by the city’s shameless tabloid newspapers because it so perfectly embodied all the cultural stereotypes about New York City in the 1980s.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Goetz became a sort of folk hero, the so-called Subway Vigilante, who took things into his own hands because the city’s weakened and inept services could not.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The facts of this case only came to light in the courtroom, playing out over the years. And, if you’re old enough to remember this incident, chances are that you may not be remembering it accurately.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To untangle the truth from the hype, Greg is joined in the studio by &lt;a href="https://politics.georgetown.edu/profile/elliot-williams/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Elliot Williams&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, the author of the gripping new book &lt;a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/768052/five-bullets-by-elliot-williams/"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz, New York’s Explosive ‘80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial that Divided the Nation.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;This episode was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Other Bowery Boys episodes you may enjoy: &lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2025/04/ford-to-city-drop-dead-the-story-behind-the-headline.html"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Ford To City: Drop Dead&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;i&gt;, t&lt;/i&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2010/09/wild-era-of-subway-graffiti-1970-1989.html"&gt;&lt;i&gt;he Subway Graffiti Era 1970-1989&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2019/02/taxi-driver-looking-at-1970s-new-york-city-in-martin-scorseses-gritty-thriller-classic.html"&gt;Taxi Driver (Bowery Boys Movie Club)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2026/02/nyc-1984-remembering-the-case-of-the-subway-vigilante.html"&gt;Visit our website for more information&lt;/a&gt; and for other shows in the Bowery Boys catalog.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Looking back at the violent 'Subway Vigilante' incident and the subsequent trial which dominated headlines in mid-1980s New York City

#479 NYC '84: The Case of the 'Subway Vigilante'

On August 6, 1930, Supreme Court Justice Joseph Force Crater stepped into a taxi on West 45th Street and vanished without a trace.For 27 days, nobody reported him missing—not his wife waiting in Maine, not <a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2019/03/boss-tweeds-house-of-corruption.html">his Tammany Hall cronies,</a> not the courts. When the story finally broke, it became the most famous missing persons case in New York history.Judge Crater was a rising star in the city’s legal world—a Tammany Hall insider who’d just landed a prestigious judgeship paying $23,000 a year (about $450,000 today). But he was also tangled up in corruption, office-buying schemes, and shady real estate deals. He had a taste for Broadway chorus girls, <a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2017/08/queen-speakeasies-tale-prohibition-new-york.html">speakeasies run by gangsters,</a> and envelopes stuffed with cash.His disappearance rocked the city and captivated the nation for decades. The phrase “to pull a Crater” entered the popular lexicon. Psychics came forward with tips. Grand juries investigated. Deathbed confessions emerged decades later.This week, Tom takes you through one of the city’s greatest unsolved mysteries—a story of Tammany corruption, Broadway nightlife, and Depression-era New York. What happened on that hot August night? Was it murder? Blackmail? A carefully planned escape?96 years later, the mystery endures.This episode was produced and edited by <a href="https://www.kierangannon.com">Kieran Gannon.</a> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;On August 6, 1930, &lt;strong&gt;Supreme Court Justice Joseph Force Crater&lt;/strong&gt; stepped into a taxi on West 45th Street and vanished without a trace.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For 27 days, nobody reported him missing—not his wife waiting in Maine, not &lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2019/03/boss-tweeds-house-of-corruption.html"&gt;his Tammany Hall cronies,&lt;/a&gt; not the courts. When the story finally broke, it became the most famous missing persons case in New York history.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Judge Crater was a rising star in the city’s legal world—a Tammany Hall insider who’d just landed a prestigious judgeship paying $23,000 a year (about $450,000 today). But he was also tangled up in corruption, office-buying schemes, and shady real estate deals. He had a taste for Broadway chorus girls, &lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2017/08/queen-speakeasies-tale-prohibition-new-york.html"&gt;speakeasies run by gangsters,&lt;/a&gt; and envelopes stuffed with cash.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;His disappearance rocked the city and captivated the nation for decades. The phrase “to pull a Crater” entered the popular lexicon. Psychics came forward with tips. Grand juries investigated. Deathbed confessions emerged decades later.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This week, Tom takes you through one of the city’s greatest unsolved mysteries—a story of Tammany corruption, Broadway nightlife, and Depression-era New York. &lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What happened on that hot August night? Was it murder? Blackmail? A carefully planned escape?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;96 years later, the mystery endures.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode was produced and edited by &lt;a href="https://www.kierangannon.com"&gt;Kieran Gannon.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The notorious disappearance of a famously corrupt judge unearths a deep well of misdeeds in 1930s New York City.

#478 The Disappearance of Judge Crater

<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/26/nyregion/brooklyn-queens-expressway-new-york-highway.html" target="_blank">“A Highway is Crumbling. New York Can’t Agree on How to Fix It.”</a>That was a headline in the New York Times back in November about the highly problematic section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway located beneath the Brooklyn Promenade, the romantic walkway that offers sumptuous views of lower Manhattan.Everybody loves the Promenade. Nobody loves the BQE, especially in its present state. So how did we get here? You have to go all the way back to the origins of the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights for the answers.A stroll through Brooklyn Heights presents you with a unique collection of 19th-century homes — all preserved thanks to the efforts of community activists in the 20th century. Each street sign traces back to an original landholder from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.When Robert Moses began planning his Brooklyn Queens Expressway in the 1940s, he planned a route that would sever Brooklyn Heights and obliterate many of its most spectacular homes. It would take a devoted community and some very clever ideas to re-route that highway and cover it with something extraordinary — a Promenade, allowing all New Yorkers to enjoy views of New York Harbor.To tell the whole story, we’ve put together two previous Bowery Boys episodes into one epic, newly remastered, newly re-edited show, which recounts the glorious history of Brooklyn Heights.This episode was edited and remasterd by Kieran Gannon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/26/nyregion/brooklyn-queens-expressway-new-york-highway.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;“A Highway is Crumbling. New York Can’t Agree on How to Fix It.”&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That was a headline in the New York Times back in November about the highly problematic section of the &lt;strong&gt;Brooklyn-Queens Expressway&lt;/strong&gt; located beneath the &lt;strong&gt;Brooklyn Promenade&lt;/strong&gt;, the romantic walkway that offers sumptuous views of lower Manhattan.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Everybody loves the Promenade. Nobody loves the BQE, especially in its present state. So how did we get here? You have to go all the way back to the origins of the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights for the answers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A stroll through &lt;strong&gt;Brooklyn Heights&lt;/strong&gt; presents you with a unique collection of 19th-century homes — all preserved thanks to the efforts of community activists in the 20th century. Each street sign traces back to an original landholder from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When &lt;strong&gt;Robert Moses&lt;/strong&gt; began planning his Brooklyn Queens Expressway in the 1940s, he planned a route that would sever Brooklyn Heights and obliterate many of its most spectacular homes. It would take a devoted community and some very clever ideas to re-route that highway and cover it with something extraordinary — a Promenade, allowing all New Yorkers to enjoy views of New York Harbor.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To tell the whole story, we’ve put together two previous Bowery Boys episodes into one epic, newly remastered, newly re-edited show, which recounts the glorious history of Brooklyn Heights.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This episode was edited and remasterd by Kieran Gannon.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The epic tale of Brooklyn Heights and its Promenade -- which might help explain current events upon the New York City transportation landscape today. 

The History of Brooklyn Heights and the Promenade

On Lexington Avenue sits a special food store named <a href="https://foodsofnations.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopM7vFq38MH03J_7ks8riZuU9HS3uxGcWBRZuc_RTrmpK_A7ViN" target="_blank">Kalustyan's</a> with a second floor stocked with international spices, syrups, and bitters. In 1881, this was the home of Chester A. Arthur, and it was here in the early morning hours of September 20, that he became the 21st President of the United States.He is one of only two men inaugurated as president in New York City -- the other was George Washington. And Arthur was certainly no Washington!Fans of the Netflix series <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_Lightning" target="_blank">Death By Lightning</a> have already been introduced to Arthur's rugged, street-toughened personality, an efficient operator of Republican politics in a city governed by Democrats and <a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2019/03/boss-tweeds-house-of-corruption.html" target="_blank">Tammany Hall</a>. He was quite famous, in fact, for converting Tammany men to Republican voters by using similar bare-knuckle tactics.He eventually became the Collector of the Port of New York, one of the most lucrative jobs in American government. And then, through a strange series of events, he was catapulted onto the national ticket for president as the running mate of James Garfield.But nobody really wanted the New Yorker for president, did they?This is a story not only of a man out of his depth, but of the two very different individuals who helped hone his reputation -- the New York power broker Roscoe Conkling, and the Upper East Side recluse Julia Sand, who may have helped guide Arthur through the most challenging moments of his 'accidental' presidency.PLUS: How <a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2024/02/it-happened-at-madison-square-park-the-heart-of-gilded-age-new-york.html" target="_blank">Madison Square Park</a> has become one of the only true monuments to his legacy.<a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2026/01/unusual-place-chester-arthur-became-president-united-states.html">Visit the website for images and more information about this story.</a>This episode was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;On Lexington Avenue sits a special food store named &lt;a href="https://foodsofnations.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopM7vFq38MH03J_7ks8riZuU9HS3uxGcWBRZuc_RTrmpK_A7ViN" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kalustyan's&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; with a second floor stocked with international spices, syrups, and bitters. In 1881, this was the home of &lt;strong&gt;Chester A. Arthur&lt;/strong&gt;, and it was here in the early morning hours of September 20, that he became the 21st President of the United States.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He is one of only two men inaugurated as president in New York City -- the other was &lt;strong&gt;George Washington&lt;/strong&gt;. And Arthur was certainly no Washington!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fans of the Netflix series &lt;a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_by_Lightning" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Death By Lightning&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt; have already been introduced to Arthur's rugged, street-toughened personality, an efficient operator of Republican politics in a city governed by Democrats and &lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2019/03/boss-tweeds-house-of-corruption.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Tammany Hall&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt; He was quite famous, in fact, for converting Tammany men to Republican voters by using similar bare-knuckle tactics.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He eventually became the Collector of the Port of New York, one of the most lucrative jobs in American government. And then, through a strange series of events, he was catapulted onto the national ticket for president as the running mate of &lt;strong&gt;James Garfield&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But nobody really wanted the New Yorker for president, did they?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is a story not only of a man out of his depth, but of the two very different individuals who helped hone his reputation -- the New York power broker &lt;strong&gt;Roscoe Conkling&lt;/strong&gt;, and the Upper East Side recluse &lt;strong&gt;Julia Sand&lt;/strong&gt;, who may have helped guide Arthur through the most challenging moments of his 'accidental' presidency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PLUS: How &lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2024/02/it-happened-at-madison-square-park-the-heart-of-gilded-age-new-york.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Madison Square Park&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; has become one of the only true monuments to his legacy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2026/01/unusual-place-chester-arthur-became-president-united-states.html"&gt;Visit the website for images and more information about this story.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The fascinating tale of 'accidental' president and New York poltiical boss Chester A. Arthur who travelled a very unconventional path to the White House -- via Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. 

#477 Chester A. Arthur: The Gentleman Boss

Bowery Boys History Live is a live-show series at City Winery hosted by Greg Young featuring a variety of historians and tour guides. The last installment this summer featured <a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2025/07/gilded-age-golden-girls-bowery-boys-history-live-at-city-winery.html" target="_blank">author Liz Block and tour guide Keith Taillon.</a> As live performances, they're a bit more loose and irreverent than the regular podcast and sometimes feature references to images being projected on stage.As a special holiday bonus, step into the season with this festive dose of “Hot Victorian” history, naughty-list edition.Join Greg Young of the Bowery Boys Podcast as he hosts this special holiday edition of Bowery Boys History Live!, recorded before <a href="https://citywinery.com/" target="_blank">a live audience at New York’s City Winery</a> on Dec 12, 2025.Featuring an all-star lineup: Carl Raymond of <a href="https://thegildedgentleman.com/" target="_blank">The Gilded Gentleman Podcast,</a> Aaron Radford-Wattley—creator and author of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hotvictorians/?hl=en" target="_blank">Hot Victorians: Meet Your Dream Man from the Past</a>—and historian and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mistermidcentury/" target="_blank">tour guide Kyle Supley</a> — aka the clock whisperer.So pour yourself some eggnog, cozy up by the fire, and enjoy live shenanigans full of holiday history and vintage comedy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bowery Boys History Live is a live-show series at City Winery hosted by Greg Young featuring a variety of historians and tour guides. The last installment this summer featured &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2025/07/gilded-age-golden-girls-bowery-boys-history-live-at-city-winery.html" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;author Liz Block and tour guide Keith Taillon.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;strong&gt; As live performances, they're a bit more loose and irreverent than the regular podcast and sometimes feature references to images being projected on stage.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a special holiday bonus, step into the season with this festive dose of “Hot Victorian” history, naughty-list edition.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Join &lt;strong&gt;Greg Young&lt;/strong&gt; of the &lt;i&gt;Bowery Boys Podcast&lt;/i&gt; as he hosts this special holiday edition of &lt;strong&gt;Bowery Boys History Live&lt;/strong&gt;!, recorded before &lt;a href="https://citywinery.com/" target="_blank"&gt;a live audience at New York’s City Winery&lt;/a&gt; on Dec 12, 2025.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Featuring an all-star lineup: &lt;strong&gt;Carl Raymond&lt;/strong&gt; of &lt;a href="https://thegildedgentleman.com/" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;The Gilded Gentleman Podcast&lt;/i&gt;,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Aaron Radford-Wattley&lt;/strong&gt;—creator and author of &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/hotvictorians/?hl=en" target="_blank"&gt;&lt;i&gt;Hot Victorians: Meet Your Dream Man from the Past&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/a&gt;—and historian and &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/mistermidcentury/" target="_blank"&gt;tour guide &lt;strong&gt;Kyle Supley&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; — aka the clock whisperer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So pour yourself some eggnog, cozy up by the fire, and enjoy live shenanigans full of holiday history and vintage comedy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Live from City Winery -- it's Greg Young! An an irreverent look at the holidays through a Victorian lens.

#476 Hot Victorian Holiday: Bowery Boys History Live! at City Winery

The tides of American history lead through the streets of New York City — from the huddled masses on Ellis Island to the sleazy theaters of 1970s Times Square. The elevated railroad to the Underground Railroad. Hamilton to Hammerstein! Greg and Tom explore more than 400 years of action-packed stories, featuring both classic and forgotten figures who have shaped the world.

The Bowery Boys: New York City History

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